This invention relates to equipment, systems and methods for the removal of gaseous and/or substantially gaseous material. Such material includes, but is not limited to aerosol and particle byproducts of surgical procedures and any procedures involving cutting, heating or burning, such as odors from chemicals, ultrasonic vapors, and ion dust particles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an evacuator or vacuum head for an evacuation system that efficiently removes smoke, vapor, or plumes released by chemicals or produced by the use of lasers, sonic cutting and/or cautery or other surgical techniques or instruments at a surgical site.
Heating and/or burning of tissue during surgical procedures has become commonplace. An unwanted byproduct of such heating and/or burning, however, is the smoke generated thereby. Smoke plumes can obscure the surgeon""s field of vision and the odor generated is unpleasant and distracting to the entire surgical team and to the patient, if awake. Moreover, the smoke plume may contain infectious agents that present a danger to persons in the operating room, and which can leave a lingering contamination within the operating area. Chemical vapor (e.g., such as that produced by the cleaning of computer parts) is, likewise, irritating to the respiratory tract of those who inhale it and may be carcinogenic.
Smoke evacuation and filtering systems have been developed to remove smoke plumes from surgical sites and chemical vapors from the work environment. Such systems typically include a hose connected to a vacuum source or generator and a suction wand connected to the hose, that is, placed at the site where the aerosol is generated. Various filtration systems have been used in conjunction with such vacuum generators to remove odor and infectious agents. Typically, the wand and hoses of known evacuation and filtration systems have required the constant attention or activity of an attendant to hold the wand or the nozzle of the hose close to the surgical site. Another problem is that the flow of air through the hose nozzle and the suction motor are sources of excessive and unwanted noise in the operating room or at the workstation.
More recently, at least in part to address the problems with wands, smoke evacuation systems may include an end effector that can be held in place at a surgical site without the constant attention of a nurse or other attendant. At least one such evacuation system and end effector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,492 (Schultz et al.), the disclosure of which patent is incorporated herein by reference. Schultz et al. disclose an end effector for removing the gaseous byproducts of laser surgery from a surgical site. The end effector includes a flexible hose and a pliable vacuum head adhesively attachable in a substantially airtight relationship around a surgical site. The vacuum head includes a generally annular plenum for drawing plumes away from the surgical site from around a 360xc2x0 arc. A porous plenum support prevents the flexible plenum from collapsing in the presence of a vacuum, and diffuses the vacuum around the entire periphery of the plenum.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,243 (Schifano) discloses another smoke evacuator including a flexible suction head for surrounding an operative site to draw smoke and air from around a perimeter of the site as smoke is produced. In one embodiment, the suction head is a doughnut shaped tubular member including a plurality of radial openings on an interior surface of the tubular member that faces the operative site. Schifano teaches that the tubular ring member may be circular or oval, and that it need not completely surround the operative site as long as air is drawn substantially in a surrounding fashion.
Another problem faced during operations is surgical site infection. Surgical site infections account for a large number of nosocomial infections. These types of infections occur when bacteria from the operating area enters a surgical site. Surgical site infections can increase the probability of death, and can increase a patient""s hospital stay and cost. An article entitled xe2x80x9cGuideline For Prevention of Surgical Site Infection, 1999xe2x80x9d, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, May 1999, pp.97-118 (Mangram, Alicia J. et al.), the disclosure of which article is incorporated herein by reference, presents recommendations for preventing these types of infections. The article suggests that one way to control surgical site infections is to improve operating room ventilation. The article discloses that a laminar airflow, designed to move particle-free air (which may be known as xe2x80x9cultraclean airxe2x80x9d or like) over the aseptic operating site at a velocity of around 0.3-0.5 xcexcm/second, effectively sweeps particles out of its path, and reduces surgical site infections following operations by more than 50%. Combining the laminar airflow of ultra-clean air over a surgical site with a smoke evacuation system could increase the safety and comfort for the operating room staff and the patient.
While smoke evacuation systems and end effectors of the Schultz et al. and Schifano type are well-suited for their intended purposes, there is room for improvement. For example, while the end effectors are pliable or flexible to conform to a surface to which they are attached, neither discloses a skeletal stiffening structure or frame for helping to maintain a conformed shape. Such a skeleton or frame would be valuable to adapt end effectors or vacuum heads for smoke evacuation for use on or near irregular physical features such as, for example, the ear, nose, mouth, or in the area of joints. It would also be advantageous if the generally central, site access opening of such end effectors could be selectively varied in size to accommodate different sizes of incisions and different procedures, and if end effectors could be made available with the intake opening or openings in various locations, so that a particular end effector could be selected depending on the procedure to be performed. It would be advantageous if end effectors were available in a generally elongated, tubular shape bendable into a selected configuration by the user, and wherein the shaped or bent effectors would tend to remain in the selected configuration. It would be advantageous if a blower station and vacuum station could be set up and connected to an end effector in order to create and/or supply and evacuate a laminar airflow of ultra-clean air across a surgical site, and/or to do so in conjunction with filtration. It would also be advantageous if an end effector or vacuum head could be integrated with the widely used customary surgical drapes or drape material, or incorporated into part of a workstation that would contain noxious chemical fumes.
The present invention provides an evacuator well-suited for removing or evacuating smoke, chemical vapors, aerosols, gaseous or generally gaseous material and fluids, including fluids with entrained particles or other material. It is well-suited for use in removing such substances from surgical sites, workstations and manufacturing assemblies or processing sites.
The needs outlined above are in large measure solved by a smoke evacuation system and method, including an evacuator, in accordance with the present invention. The embodiments described herein are designed to efficiently and quietly remove smoke or other aerosols, including smoke or bioaerosols generated during surgical procedures, and can be used at a surgical site without constant attention or manipulation by the surgeon or an attendant. They would also remove vapor from the work site.
An improved smoke evacuation system and method for removing gaseous byproducts of surgical or commercial procedures is provided by the present invention. The smoke evacuation system includes a vacuum head positionable at a surgical or other work site. The vacuum head includes a plenum, and a plenum support for preventing the plenum from collapsing when a vacuum or low pressure is established therein, and is adapted to facilitate the use of the system in a variety of surgical procedures at a variety of surgical sites.
In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a vacuum smoke evacuator head for coupling to a vacuum source for withdrawing generally gaseous byproducts, including smoke, fine particulate matter, air and the like, from a surgical or commercial site. The smoke evacuator head is substantially made of a generally pliable or flexible material and defines a plenum. A plenum support is carried within the plenum to provide support to the plenum and to prevent the plenum from collapsing when a vacuum or relatively low pressure area is established therein. The smoke evacuator head includes an open intake facing and/or intake openings, and may be positioned adjacent to or in a surgical site. An adhesive may be carried by the head for maintaining it in a selected position or location relative to the surgical site.
In one embodiment, the smoke evacuator head includes at least one access opening which may be selectively expanded in size. Typically, the access opening may be generally centrally located in the vacuum head, and has an initial peripheral edge which may be moved generally concentrically outwardly by selectively removing one or more removable, generally concentric peripheral portions extending substantially around the opening. Also typically, the opening, whether the initial size or one of the expanded sizes, may be covered or sealed before use by a removable film.
In another embodiment, the smoke evacuator vacuum head includes a skeletal stiffening member or positioning frame whereby the head may be configured and tends to remain in the selected configuration. The skeletal structure may comprise a single, flexible elongated member formed of a suitable material which may be bent or twisted, yet has sufficient rigidity to retain the selected bend or twist. The skeletal structure may be internal or external, and may comprise a single, elongated member, a single annular member, a plurality of axially aligned members, a number of parallel and/or branch members or a combination thereof. This embodiment may be well-suited for use in regions of the body having rather irregular surfaces such as joints, the ear, nose or mouth.
In another embodiment, the smoke evacuator may comprise a generally tubular body having two ends, one of which is adapted to be connected to another smoke evacuator vacuum head or to a coupling, such as a hose, for operably coupling the tubular body to a vacuum source. The other end may be free. The body may have one or more regions comprising openings or an open facing for admitting smoke and the like when a vacuum or low pressure is established in the body. In this embodiment, the body may have a stiffening element or a skeletal structure to allow the body to easily bend and remain in a particular shape for use in different situations. This embodiment of the vacuum head may be well-suited for use, as an adjunct or alone, in deep incisions or wounds during surgical procedures.
In yet another embodiment, the smoke evacuator vacuum head forms a plenum including a substantially open facing portion for being positioned generally adjacent to a smoke or aersol producing site. In one embodiment, wherein the plenum has a top, outwardly facing wall, is generally annular and includes a generally central access opening, the periphery of the opening being formed by an inner wall, the open facing may be formed in and/or adjacent to the inner wall comprising, for example, a bevel and/or a portion of the top wall. This embodiment is well-suited for use in surgical procedures during which a flap or ridge of skin or tissue may be formed, for example, around or as a result of the incision. Such procedures include plastic surgery procedures and mastectomies, for example, where the vacuum induced in the plenum may tend to pull skin flaps or tissue into it, particularly when the skin flap or tissue is held straight up.
In another embodiment, the evacuation system of the present invention comprises an evacuation hose for detachably connecting a vacuum generator or source and a vacuum head that generally surrounds a surgical site. The vacuum head is substantially made of a generally pliable or flexible material and defines a plenum having a generally central opening. A porous plenum supporting material is carried within the plenum to provide a degree of rigidity to the plenum and to prevent the plenum from collapsing when a vacuum or relatively low pressure area is established therein. The plenum includes an open facing region adjacent to the central opening. An adhesive may be carried by the skin contacting wall of the vacuum head for maintaining the vacuum head in place at a surgical site.
An embodiment and feature of the present invention is the concept of a foam supported channel of selectable cross-sectional area incorporated or integrated with a surgical drape, wherein the channel may be used to convey smoke and/or other aerosol debris away from a surgical site.
Any of the embodiments of the smoke evacuation system or vacuum head described herein may be provided in sterile form and in a color acceptable in an operating room environment.
In one embodiment, the smoke evacuation system of the present invention comprises a vacuum head end effector including generally contiguous, concentric areas or regions, which may be oval, formed or separated by generally concentric perforations whereby the areas may be selectively removed to correspond with required length of an incision or procedural area.
In one embodiment, the end effector in accordance with the present invention would have a pre-provided generally central and oval cutout of specific predetermined dimensions, the purpose of which would be to form a primary or initial work area, and to more easily allow the surgeon or attendant to remove surrounding peripheral oval sections to expand the original opening.
In one embodiment, each removable section of the vacuum head may be provided with a paper backed adhesive running on one surface of the sections. The paper backing would be removed once the size of the field or work area is determined, thereby allowing the remaining portion of the vacuum head and/or drape to affix to the patient""s prepped skin or to the medical drape covering the intended site of the surgery.
In one embodiment, the end effector would have suitable connectors, nozzle adapters, and/or connection features, e.g., to allow for simultaneous coupling to both a source of selected fluid or gas, e.g., ultra-clean air, and a source of low pressure or vacuum. In this embodiment, the end effector would provide a unidirectional, laminar airflow over the work site. The end effector includes a plenum having a central opening, a plenum support for preventing the plenum from collapsing when an airflow or a vacuum or low pressure is established therein, and is adapted to facilitate the delivery of, e.g., ultra-clean air across the generally central opening of the head.
In some embodiments, one or more manifold-like connection handles or tubes would extend from the foam filled channel or vacuum head to deliver an airflow and/or to convey the smoke and vapor mixture from the operative site into a conduit and then to a collection, filtration and/or deodorization device wherein the mixture may be processed and the air may be returned to the room.
In some embodiments, the skin of the drape may cover the end effector, the manifold and the drape in continuity. In these and other embodiments, the manifold(s) may be provided to include either straight, i.e., parallel, and/or curved extension lips or walls that extend into or on either side of the plenum support that supports the outer walls of the plenum or evacuator vacuum head. The purpose of these lips or walls would be to prevent the possible kinking, narrowing or other form of occlusion by the covering skin of the drape at the plenum support/ manifold interface or junction. This occlusion might be caused by the downward force placed on the manifold by the attached tubing that usually trails or falls to the floor of the operating room. In some instances, when suction or reduced pressure is applied without the lip extensions in place, the skin can invaginate and cover the entrance orifice of the manifold.
Another embodiment includes a chamber or gathering site for the evacuated smoke as it leaves the foam-filled channel or the plenum toward the exit site of the manifold or connection nozzle. The chamber is attached to the lip extensions or walls (described in the previous paragraph) at one end and forms or is attached to an exit port at the other end. The chamber and/or exit port may be adapted to increase flow velocities by including an area of decreased cross-sectional area. The exit port from which the smoke mixture leaves the smoke evacuator may be coupled to a typical conduit or hose.
Any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be formed by a wall or skin which may be made of the same as the material of a surgical drape. The skin may or may not be fire retardant or resistant, and any of the embodiments may be preferably composed of bio-compatible material and be capable of disposition as such materials are typically disposed of.
It should be appreciated that features of any of the embodiments of the present invention may be selectively combined to adapt the smoke evacuator vacuum head for a variety of situations and surgical procedures.